Mirrors Of The Soul

Mirrors Of The Soul

From the moment of conception, we each have been given the most intricate and precise tool to know who we are and where we are going-relationships. Relationships serve as both a mirror to see who we are and a GPS to find our bearings and know where we are in our progress. To know what kind of person we are, we can look at the people with whom we spend the most time. Do they inspire us or irritate us? The qualities in others that inspire us are the qualities within that thirst for nourishment. Traits that bother us most are usually the ones we most need to address internally. For parents, the most accurate measurement of where we are is our children. What qualities do you appreciate the most in your children? Where do you think they got them? What behaviors would you most like them to change? Where did they learn them? Can you see the similarities between the personalities of your children and your own? Identifying similarities in the people close to us is the best way to work on personal development.

It is our relationship with family, friends, lovers, and strangers that sculpt us into who we are. Being consciously aware of our relationships, on a spiritual level, enables us to learn to use this tool to its highest capacity. The first relationship we form is naturally with our parents, specifically our mother. That bond begins immediately after birth. Our parental bond creates the foundation for how we will build relationships for the rest of our lives. I believe we are born into the families that were intended for us. This does not mean a child of an abusive or neglectful parent deserves to be mistreated. I am simply suggesting that Universal Wisdom knows what an individual can handle and that great strength can come from very difficult experiences. We must play the cards we are dealt. What seems like the best hand does not always win. Many individuals develop strong character from challenging situations, while others make little use of abundance and prosperity. We learn from our parents how to behave. Not only do we learn by mimicking parental behavior, we also develop our personalities as a reaction to the way we are raised. Whether we are strong and confident or timid and fearful is a reaction to our upbringing. Once we are aware of how our parents affected our development, we can choose to embrace our strengths and overcome our weaknesses. As we mature, the relationships we form begin to more clearly reflect who we have chosen to be. If we seem to be surrounded by negative people, we can identify negativity within ourselves. When we address our own issues, the external negativity will tend to drift away or lose its effect on us.

Relationships will continue to shape who we are, whether we are aware of their effects or not. By understanding our relationships, we can better understand ourselves. The universal law of attraction causes us to draw people into our lives who can teach us what we most need to know about ourselves. Our relationships directly reflect who we are. This is more apparent in intimate relationships. An intimate relationship can be like being under a microscope. We can see each other’s personality in great detail. We also see what types of people we attract and to whom we are attracted. This also tells us a lot about ourselves. Although less apparent, this reflection of self is also true in relationships we may not consciously choose. The way we relate to our coworkers, friends of friends, in-laws, and even family is a direct reflection of who we are in that moment. Unaware that we are looking in a mirror, it is easy to see in others the traits that need correction within ourselves. Even the way we treat ourselves tells of who we are. In most cases, we react toward ourselves in relatively the same manner as we would toward another person. Every relationship is a model for the experiencing of one’s self. Experiencing one’s self is an important process in learning how to fulfill our purpose and is a valuable benefit from relationships. Another vital lesson we learn from others is unity. Finding similarities in others rather than focusing on the differences creates common bonds. Working together, we are able to accomplish far more than we can individually. Seeing all beings as part of the same collective whole, we can work toward a civilization of oneness instead of separation. Unity breeds compassion and tolerance.